The Laughing Ritual: Inside Japan’s Ceremony of Continuous Joy

At the Hiraoka Shrine in Higashi-Osaka, Japan, thousands of participants gathered for the unique “Owarai Shinji” ritual, a traditional ceremony where people laugh continuously for about 20 minutes.

The practice is rooted in Japanese mythology, where the sun goddess Amaterasu was lured out of a cave by the laughter of other gods, restoring light to the world; today, participants send laughter toward the winter sun to pray for happiness and brighter days.

Organizers emphasize that the event is less about humor and more about collective discipline and unity, as attendees must persevere through physical discomfort and self-consciousness until the forced laughter often evolves into genuine joy.

The ceremony, which includes a laughing contest, attracted approximately 3,500 people this year and is growing in popularity as a unique cultural and spiritual experience.